The only course that will remain difficult under all conditions will be one that is designed and kept for golf of a stereotyped, monotonous character, and this makes a most uninteresting proposition. BOBBY JONES

Available via Amazon (US): Golf Architecture For Normal People

Barnes And Noble (online and in stores)

Amazon Australia

Bookshop.org option to support local independent bookstores.

Reviews:

"Golf Architecture for Normal People . . . should be required reading for those who are not ashamed to admit they know little about the subject, and for those who think they do . . . . Golf course architecture geeks have trouble slimming their thoughts down to bite-sized chunks, but Shackelford has achieved a remarkable success here." —Independent (Ireland)

"From the relative newcomer who’s slowly getting hooked to those that have played the game for most of their lives and think they know a thing or two, Golf Architecture for Normal People provides a solid and sober perspective that will help everyone recognize why some golf courses are worth playing more than once while a single trip around others is all you’re ever likely to want or need." —Links Magazine.

“It’s a wonderful book. An easy read that arrives just in time for your summer reading list. If you’ve never thought about how an appreciation for course design could heighten your enjoyment of the game, you must check this out.”—The Peterborough Examiner

"As in his prior publications, in his newest book Shackelford shows a deep appreciation for what can be done to create a golf course that appeals to the broadest possible golfing audience…Shackelford’s prose is succinct, often witty, and accessible."—Cape Gazette

"Author, blogger and golf architecture expert Geoff Shackelford, who helped Gil Hanse design Rustic Canyon and restore 2023 U.S. Open host Los Angeles Country Club, taps into his passion by creating a guide that helps every golfer understand the nuances of course design. Published by Tatra Press, the 164-page hardcover book is a must-read for every golfer to better understand the game they love." —Golf Pass

"Shackelford provides an informative picture [and]...sprinkles in history lessons about those who planted the game's architectural roots, defines common terms and helps you hone your eyes when it comes to identifying some of the tricks of the trade."—FORE Magazine

"This new book does a great job demystifying golf course design ideas for average players, but can also be a beneficial read fro PGA Professionals and other golf course employees to get a better understanding of their home courses." —PGA Magazine

“Shackelford will guide the reader to an enriching understanding of design. Consider it a primer on the fascinating subject of course architecture. If you don’t know what a template hole is, or a Biarritz, or a Redan, or a Punchbowl, you will be gently educated, and perhaps enjoy playing a course with any of these holes that much more. There’s a lot here, packed into 160 pages.” LORNE RUBENSTEIN, ScoreGolf

June 19, 2014

PGA Championship Bringing Back The Long Drive Contest

June 19, 2014/ Geoff Shackelford

Details are still being finalized, but PGA of America president Ted Bishop revealed at yesterday's Churchill Downs media day for his August's PGA Championship that the long drive contest is coming back.

Then the other thing that we're going to do that's pretty cool is that it was brought to our tension just a few weeks ago that Jack Nicklaus is actually carrying a money clip from the long drive contest that he won at the 1963 PGA Championship. So we are going to reintroduce along drive contest during the week of the PGA Championship, it's probably going to be on Wednesday, we don't know the details of how this whole thing is going to unfold, but you'll hear more about that on top of the extension of the pick the hole location that we started last year at Oak Hill.

You can read about Jack Nicklaus winning the 1963 PGA and the place the long drive holds in his heart and...pocket

The long drive has been an on-and-off part of early week PGA Championship festivities and was the predecessor of the Remax World Long Drive Championship (until it became a standalone event in 1985).

Past winners:

National Long Drive Championship

1962    George Bayer
1963    Jack Nicklaus               341/17         Dallas (Texas) Athletic Club

1974    Evan Williams             366               Tanglewood GC, Winston-Salem, N.C.
1975    Jeff Long (Amateur), Fort Mitchell, Ky. 322-2    Butler National Golf Club

1976 - Evan Williams, 307-23         Congressional Country Club
1977 - Evan Williams, 353/24         Pebble Beach
1978 - John McComish, 330            Oakmont CC
1979 - Andy Franks, 314                Oakland Hills CC
1980 - Scott DeCandia, 295/18       Oak Hill CC
1981 - Lon Hinkle, 338/6                Atlanta Athletic Club
1982 - Andy Franks, 346/17.5        Southern Hills, Tulsa, Okla.
1983 - Terry Forcum, 307               Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, Calif.
1984 – Lawrence “Wedgy” Winchester, 319/14 Shoal Creek Country Club

Geoff Shackelford

Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning Drive, is co-host of The Ringer's ShackHouse is the author of eleven books.

What Is The Quad?

Latest Post From The Quad:

Revisiting a Royal Melbourne Major

TheQuadrilateral.golf

_______

Book

Golf Architecture For Normal People now available for pre-order!

INSTAGRAM

Labor Day Sunday sunset shots, in reverse order. Today saw the highest recorded temperature in LA County. 🥵

Better than most sunset

Thanks to @collin_morikawa for capping off a great week in style with the lowest final 36 holes in major history, and to the @pga and @pgatour for putting on a safe, well orchestrated week in tough circumstances. Nice of @stephencurry30 to stop by fo

@rorymcilroy, 15th fairway, 2020 @pgachampionship @tpchardingpark. Hoganesque!

@tigerwoods practicing at Harding Park, 2020 @pgachampionship Monday. He looks focused and flexible. Watch the first shot, his tee ball on the 4th with such a full throttle swing he had a bit of a Greg Norman follow-through. With an unfriendly breeze

Unorthodox at the (almost) top, Classic at the finish. @matthew_wolff5 @thegenesisinv

MASTERS.com

BOOKS BY GEOFF

Recent Posts